The Plugable UGA-M165 utilizes mDisplay driver technology from OSBase to enable multiple mirrored displays with any Windows-based laptop or desktop (one adapter required per monitor, up to 32). Ideal for digital signage, presentation environments, information kiosks, retail displays, or any scenario where display mirroring to monitors with varied input types is needed

As with our other DisplayLink-based products, this adapter works by rendering 2D/3D with your computer’s CPU and GPU, and then compressing and transmitting the image via USB. Where this differs from our other USB graphics adapters is that by utilizing special firmware and mDisplay drivers, the Windows limitation of one mirrored display is removed.

The adapter package includes a USB 2.0 cable and hardware adapters for the different connector types (DVI to VGA and DVI to HDMI). No power plug is needed – power is provided by USB and the adapter has an LED indicator light.

Included in the box

Hardware Requirements

Dual Core Intel CPU 2GHz or better

Windows GPU should be Intel, nVidia, or ATI

For best results with a large number of USB-attached displays, additional PCI or PCI-E USB host controllers might need to be added to the system

Operating System and Driver Details
WINDOWS VERSION COMPATIBILITY:
Drivers are available for Windows XP, 7, and 8/8.1, and will require a manual download and installation for this device. Windows XP 64-bit not supported. Not compatible with ARM-based Windows (MS Surface) or Windows RT.

Different USB graphics drivers types (mDisplay, DisplayLink, MCT/Triton, SMSC, Fresco) are not compatible on the same system. In particular, some versions of MCT drivers will bluescreen when other USB graphics drivers are also present. Uninstall other USB graphics driver software before switching types, and stay with a single type (e.g. mDisplay-based adapters in this scenario) on a single system.

MAC COMPATIBILITY:
Mac OS X is not supported for this device.

LINUX COMPATIBILITY:
Linux is not supported for this device.

Frequently Asked Questions

The displays I would like to use have different native resolutions. Can each monitor resolution be set independent of the other monitors?
Individual resolution settings on a per-monitor basis are not supported. All of the attached displays will have their resolution automatically set to match that of the primary display. If the primary display has a native resolution higher than that which is supported by any of the USB-attached displays, the primary display resolution will need to be set at a level which is supported by all of the attached monitors.

Can I combine these adapters with other models of Plugable or DisplayLink adapter to create a mixed environment of mirrored and extended desktops?
This type of mixed adapter and software/driver configuration is not possible. If the mDisplay drivers are installed on installed on the system, additional non-mDisplay DisplayLink adapters will not function correctly on the system without first fully uninstalling the mDisplay drivers.

I already have a mirrored display using a monitor connected to the onboard graphics port on my system. Can I add multiple UGA-M165 adapters and still utilize my mirrored display that’s connected to my onboard graphics?
Windows has a limitation of only supporting one mirrored display. The special firmware and drivers for the UGA-M165 work around this limitation by reporting to Windows that all displays that are attached via UGA-M165 adapters are one single monitor. Because of this, additional displays connected to other graphics ports on the system will not be able to be used as mirrored displays in conjunction with those attached to UGA-M165 adapters.

Will these adapters allow me to play videos simultaneously to X number of displays?
The data being sent to each display must be compressed and sent over USB to the attached graphics adapter. The limited bandwidth available on USB 2.0 host controllers is quickly saturated when playing back video to multiple USB-based graphics adapters. The results are likely to be unsatisfactory in many cases, and as such, is not recommended.

I’ve noticed that as I continue to add adapters, performance of the mirrored displays has decreased. Is there anything that can be done to reduce this?
The best way to improve performance is to reduce the amount of data being sent over the USB bus. Lowering the display resolution and/or adding additional PCI or PCI-E host controller cards to allow for additional bandwidth are the approaches that are most likely to improve performance.

I’m considering purchasing either an HDMI splitter or the Plugable UGA-M165 adapters. Why should I chose one over the other?
In an environment where all monitors are HDMI-capable and in close proximity, or there is a need for splitting high resolution video, an HDMI splitter will likely be the product that is the best fit. If there is a need for maximum flexibility utilizing mixed types of displays, the Plugable option would be the better solution.

Will this adapter be compatible with an HDMI port on my HDTV?
Most, but not all, TVs are compatible. The exceptions are displays that don’t support EDID (which communicates monitor capabilities to the PC) or which require specific higher versions of the HDMI spec, beyond 1.0. Many TVs that have a VGA port in addition to HDMI, assume that computers will use VGA for connectivity rather than HDMI, provide the best results with VGA.

Will the included HDMI adapter allow for audio pass-through?
The HDMI standard is built on DVI. This enables conversion from DVI to HDMI 1.0 with a simple, physical, passive adapter like the one included with the UGA-M165. HDMI routed through DVI does not include audio signals, and does not support HDMI content protection. It is suitable for displaying applications on a HDMI monitor and some TVs. This implementation is not for high-quality video playback.

Will these adapters work with OpenGL or DirectX games?Gaming is not supported on this device.

What does the green LED indicate?
The green LED on the adapter indicates that both the hardware and the software involved in the functioning of this device is working properly. It remains steady when nothing is changing on the screen and blinks when data is transferred through the adapter.

The green LED on the adapter does not light up when:
1) The unit does not receive enough power because it is plugged into a port that does not provide the required 500mA of power or because of a failing USB Cable
2) Display to that monitor is disabled
3) The driver is not installed or is corrupted
4) The unit itself has failed.